Class Features
All of the following are class features of the samurai.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Samurai are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light, medium, and heavy armors and with shields (except tower shields).

In addition, the samurai is always proficient in their ancestral weapons (see Ancestral Weaponry, below).

Battle-Cry (Ex): The samurai gains a number of battle cries as he advances through the class (as per the class table). A samurai may use a battle-cry as a standard action, and the effects last a number of rounds equal to 1 plus the samurai’s charisma modifier, unless otherwise noted. See Battle Cries below, for more information.

Clan (Ex): Most samurai belong to a clan, which are led by a Daimyo (a samurai with at least 8 class levels), who own and control a section of land, usually granted to him by a Shogun (a samurai with at least 15 class levels), who may call upon the clan for soldiers whenever needed. There are 7 clans, described below.

Crab: Crab Samurai usually duel-wield large maces or clubs. If you choose to be a Crab Samurai, you gain the following features:

• You gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls for bludgeoning weapons and an extra damage bonus against objects and equipment, this bonus equals your class level.

• You gain the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for free, at levels 6 and 11 you gain Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting respectively for free.

Crane: Crane Samurai usually wield long piercing weapons such as longspears and ranseurs. If you choose to be a Crane Samurai you gain the following features:

• When charging with a piercing reach weapon you deal double damage (in addition to any critical damage, if any) to the target.

• You may set up a piercing weapon against a charge as an immediate action once per day.

Dragon: Dragon Samurai are usually seen duel-wielding two blades. If you choose to be a Dragon Samurai you gain the following features:

• You may treat a one-handed slashing weapon as a light weapon for the purposes of two-weapon fighting OR you may increase the damage die of any light weapon you wield in your off-hand by one step.

• You gain the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for free, at levels 6 and 11 you gain Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting respectively for free.

Lion: Lion Samurai are usually seen wielding a single large sword or axe, and are very effective with them. If you choose to be a Lion Samurai you gain the following features:

Phoenix: Phoenix Samurai favor archery above all else. If you choose to be a Phoenix Samurai you gain the following features:

• You increase any bows (but not crossbow) you wield damage die by one step, and you may add your dexterity modifier to its damage rolls.

• You gain the Point Blank Shot feat for free, at levels 3, 6, and 11 you gain Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, and Improved Precise Shot respectively for free.

Scorpion: Scorpion Samurai usually wield long-hafted slashing weapons such as the Glaive and the Guisarme. If you choose to be a Scorpion Samurai you gain the following features:

• When wielding a slashing reach weapon you can strike an adjacent target with it even if you normally couldn’t with that weapon.

• When you charge with a reach slashing weapon you may instead stop at the closest square in which you could strike the target, instead of adjacent to the target.

Unicorn: Unicorn Samurai are almost always seen on horseback, whether wielding bow or sword or spear. If you choose to be a Unicorn Samurai you gain the following features:

• You start play with either a heavy warhorse (if medium), or a warpony or riding dog (if small).

• You gain the Mounted Combat feat for free. At level 2, you gain either the Mounted Archery feat or the Ride-By-Attack feat for free.

Larger or smaller characters may have appropriate mounts (according to the DM), and with the dungeon master’s permission these mounts may be switch with another appropriate mount.

Clanless: In addition, you may choose to be Clanless; a Clanless Samurai is often wandering the world offering his sword as a mercenary. If you choose to be a Clanless Samurai you gain the following features:

• You begin play with a bonus feat; this feat may be selected from the list of fighter bonus feats.

• You may choose a single bonus from any of the clans to gain.

You may wish to be from a clan, but (for one reason or another) not affiliated with that clan anymore. In which case you may either choose the Clanless option or the clan that you once belonged to.

Honored/Dishonored: A samurai may either be honorable or dishonorable, as you want (note: a clanless samurai is not necessarily dishonored). A samurai may have a personal code, (as the player wishes). A personal code could be anything the player wishes, such as not being able to eat meat or wearing armor or clothes of a certain color. A dishonored samurai may still have a personal code. The differences are described below;

Honored: An honorable samurai must be of lawful alignment, and should he break his code of honor he dishonors himself, his family, and his ancestors if he ever willingly commits an act that violates his code. Additionally, the samurai code of bushido requires that he be obedient to his lord, accept death at any time and face it bravely, avenge any dishonor, and shun any appearance of cowardice. The core principles of bushido are honor, loyalty, and courage. Violating these precepts results in dishonor, this may result in a samurai being stripped of his family name or being asked to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). A samurai that selects Honored at 1st level gains the Daimyo ability at 8th level, and the Shogun ability at 15th level.

Dishonored: A dishonored samurai that was stripped of his family name is usually found wandering the world as a mercenary, guard, or possibly even a bandit or marauder. A samurai that selects Dishonored at 1st level gains the Infamous ability at 8th level, and the Demon ability at 15th level.

Ancestor’s Weaponry (Su): At 1st level the samurai selects one or two weapons, if the samurai selects two weapons then the must be able to be duel-wielded with each other. The samurai receives masterwork versions of these weapons for free (hereby referred to as his ancestral weapons. As a samurai advances in level he may meditate on his ancestral weapons to increase their power while sacrificing a number of gold according to the following table.

+1|2000 gp|4th|
+2|8000 gp|7th
+3|18000 gp|9th
+4|32000 gp|11th
+5|50000 gp|13th
+6*|72000 gp|14th
+7*|98000 gp|15th
+8*|128000 gp|16th
+9*|162000 gp|17th
+10*|200000 gp|18th[/TABLE]
*A weapon can’t actually have a bonus higher than +5. Use these lines to determine price when special abilities are added in. Example: A samurai who has a +5 longbow can transform it into a +5 distance longbow with a sacrifice of 22,000 gp, since distance is a special ability equivalent to a +1 bonus.

A samurai may enhance both of his ancestral weapons if he owns two, and may enhance them up to his full bonus each, as long as he pays the sacrifice for both weapons. If a samurai losses his ancestral weapons or they get destroyed he must either recover them or gain ownership of another set of ancestral weapons, if no other sets of ancestral weapons exist then the samurai may make a set of masterwork weapons into a set of ancestral weapons by meditating on them for 24 straight hours.

Ancestor’s Focus (Ex): At 2nd level the samurai gains a +1 bonus to the attack and damage rolls of his ancestral weapons, this bonus stacks with weapon focus and similar abilities and feats.

Demoralize (Ex): At 2nd level the samurai gains a bonus to intimidate checks equal to ¼ his samurai level (rounded down, minimum +1), in addition the samurai may attempt to demoralize an opponent (as per standard rules in the phb page 76) as a move action.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level, the samurai can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful will or fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping samurai does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Fearless (Ex): At 4th level the samurai becomes immune to fear effects, magical or otherwise. In addition, every ally within 20ft of the samurai gains a bonus to saves against fear effects equal to the samurai’s charisma modifier. A samurai of 4th level or high can be affected by a fear effect only if creature or character has two or more samurai levels than the samurai

Demoralizing Shout (Ex): At 5th level when the samurai uses a move action to demoralize an opponent, he may make one intimidate roll and apply it to every enemy within 20ft. In addition, once per encounter for every five class levels (maximum 4/encounter at 20th level) the samurai may attempt to demoralize every opponent within 10ft of him as a free action right after dropping an enemy to 0 hit points or fewer.

Damage Reduction (Ex): At level 6 the samurai gains damage reduction equal to the value given on the class table, it increases as shown.

Hard to Kill (Ex): At 7th level the samurai gains Diehard as a bonus feat, in addition when you take a standard action (or other strenuous activity as the DM decides) you do not take damage immediately after.

Inspire Squad (Ex): At 7th level once per day six class levels (maximum 3/day at level 18) you may spend a standard action to let out a rallying shout which causes your allies to fight harder. This ability duplicates the effects of the Heroism spell for you and all allies within 30ft. Use your class level as the caster level. This lasts until the end of the encounter or for 10 rounds (whichever comes first).

Daimyo: At 8th level an honored samurai becomes a Daimyo, a clan leader, he is granted a plot of land for his clan by his Shogun (or a similar authority figure, if the samurai doesn’t follow a shogun), and gains a partial effect of the Leadership feat, only gaining a cohort (a creature of the same race as you with samurai levels equals class level -3) to follow and protect you. You are not required to stay in your land (you may appoint another member of your clan to do so in your absence, though it is assumed you will return and spend at least two weeks there every few months), any other benefits (such as taxes, if you wish to charge them) should be discussed with your DM.

Infamous: At 8th level a dishonored samurai gets a reputation as dishonorable, and a dishonorable samurai is something to be feared. You gain an extra bonus to intimidate when a creature knows your reputation equal to 1/4th your class level (for a total of ½ your class level) and a lesser form of Frightful Presence (DC=10 + ½ class level + charisma modifier) enemies who have less hit dice than you who fail their save are shaken for 2d6 rounds.

Very Hard to Kill (Ex): At 10th level the samurai may now take full round actions (or a move and a standard action) while between -1 and -9 hit points without hurting himself.

Doubleshout (Ex): At 11th level, a number of times per day equal to the samurai’s charisma modifier (minimum 1) the samurai may use two different battle cries in the same standard action, and have both effects active until their duration normally runs out.

Inspire Clan (Ex): At 13th level your Inspire Squad ability improves, you may now spend a standard action to duplicate the effects of the Greater Heroism spell for you and all allies within 30ft, use your class level as the caster level. This lasts until the end of the encounter or for 10 rounds (whichever comes first).

Mighty Critical (Ex): At 14th level the critical multiplier for a samurai’s ancestral weapons increase by 1 (X2 to X3, X3 to X4, or X4 to X5).

Shogun: At 15th level an honored Daimyo becomes a Shogun, a military leader, he is granted a much bigger plot of land for him to rule over multiple clans by his Emperor (or a similar authority figure, if the samurai doesn’t follow an emperor), and gains the remaining effect of the Leadership feat, you gain followers as you normally would, adding the bonus for having great renown (class level + 2 + charisma bonus, plus any other modifiers, see leadership dmg page 106). These followers are the soldiers you can summon for battle (levels are in samurai, various clans, or a mix of common classes in the area if your land is in a country where samurai aren’t the main fighting force) if needed. These soldiers can be assembled, equipped, and ready to fight in 1d4+3 days (roll each time they’re called upon). You are not required to stay in your land (you may appoint another member of your clan to do so in your absence, though it is assumed you will return and spend at least two weeks there every few months), any other benefits (such as taxes, if you wish to charge them) should be discussed with your DM.

Demon: At 15th level a dishonored samurai gets a reputation as a demon of war. You gain an extra bonus to intimidate when a creature knows your reputation equal to 1/4th your class level (for a total of ¾ your class level) and full Frightful Presence (DC=10 + ½ class level + charisma modifier) enemies who have less hit dice than you who fail their save are frightened for 5d6 rounds.

Hardened Warrior (Ex): At 16th level the samurai has been through so many battles he knows how to cheat death. Once per week when he would take enough damage to drop him to 0 hit points or less he may instead take no damage from the attack.

Why won’t you die? (Ex): At 17th level a samurai may cling onto life longer than most. A samurai no longer dies when reaching -10 hit points instead the samurai dies when reaching -30 hit points.

Inspire Army (Ex): At 19th level your Inspire Clan ability improves, you may now spend a standard action to give yourself and all allies that can hear you a +6 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks, immunity to fear effects, and 30 temporary hit points. This lasts until the end of the current encounter.

Undying (Ex): At 20th level a samurai no longer takes any penalty from aging (a samurai still gains bonuses for aging however). In addition, double the years for each of his age category, the samurai effectively lives twice as long.

Battle Cries

Battle cries are extraordinary abilities that the samurai may use as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Battle Cries give bonuses to the samurai’s allies in various situations, and are listed below. Each Battle-Cry let’s all allies within 30ft of the samurai add his charisma bonus (if any) on various rolls. All bonuses are morale bonuses that do not stack with each other. Once a Battle-Cry has been put into effect, the samurai’s allies need not stay within 30ft of the samurai to keep the bonuses.